Hey lovelies! Long time no see? (or um, read). So, here's the second part of the chapter-I wanted to mash them together, but knowing me, something would probably go wrong, so I decided not to... Sowie it took so long or that it seemed to take so long, but I'm not going to sing any blues, nope. Not gonna complain this time about life, lawl.
Special thanks to The Moon's Willow-your review gave me inspiration (and a reason to smile), which in turn made me write faster. Seriously, it's a proven and researched fact. I'm trying to incorporate all the senses, and I think I do in some areas (at least I thought I did), but I know I could improve; it's just I'm scared of sounding too 'wordy' or losing people in long drawn out sentences. Maybe I should stick my nose in a thesarus (hope I spelled that right, I would spellcheck, but it tends to not save the chapter after I do that) xD
I apologize beforehand for any mistakes-I swear, I'll find you all. So, read along, I hope you all enjoy and yes Light-just like that :D
"Just like that? You expect me to believe you just like that?"
He thought that if he told her the truth, she'd be more than willing to follow. It never crossed his mind that she wouldn't believe him. Kirill edged away from her blade. Think damn it, think! "Looking for Hope, right? From the frenzied behavior, I'm bettin' that the cell you checked in was empty. I know because I was the one who moved—"
"Grrgh, you already told me this! Get outta my way!"
The scarred man hastily stepped aside, letting her storm by. "He didn't want me to move him, probably knew you'd have a harder time finding him and he was right. But this place? It's falling apart. So go ahead, risk taking the wrong tunnel, rushing up the wrong flight of steps—if he could trust me, I think you could—"
Despicable! She whipped around, droplets of water flinging from her hair."You betrayed his trust the moment you locked him up in those chains," Lightning snarled, taking threatening steps towards him. "So don't you dare…don't you dare." She stilled her body from shivering and raised her weapon. "Now show me the way."
"Oh yeah!" Snow fisted the air, feeling strength surge through him as Serah's eidolon continued to cast supportive magic. "See that baby? Knocked 'em dead!" The odds were finally turning in their favor; the cie'th that were popping up from the graveyard shore were little more than a persistent nuisance—nothing they couldn't handle with the help of their eidolons. He figured they could be more destructive when left to their own devices, so he let the Shiva sisters go; though it didn't stop them from rushing to him when they thought he was in danger.
The cie'th were unlike the ones they had encountered along their journey; crystal-less, they had the basic shape of a human, deformed to a larger size, their putty-like skin ghastly gray with their left arm swelled up twice the size of their body. Eyeless with gaping mouths; their movements were sluggish and being unable to cast magic, their strength laid in the heavy, solid weight of their body.
The soldiers from the Guardian Corp had arrived awhile ago and dispersed, their gunfire surrounding the cliffside and taking care of problem monsters.
"Look out! Behind you!" Serah shrieked. She was feeling utterly useless; she had no weapon, no magic and she guessed Leviathan's purpose was to make sure she didn't get hurt, for when the cie'th came her way, the great sea monster would come too. I'm just a distraction! Her heart beating frantically, she picked up a hefty stone—or part of a skull—and tried to chuck it at the deformed foe standing behind Snow. All she did was get its attention. Shoot… But everyone jeopardizing their life for someone they loved. She wasn't any different. Serah pressed her lips together.
He withdrew his fist quickly, pulling it against his side; his skin tightened and tingled, he waited until he could practically see the extremely cold vapors his hand was agonizingly giving off. His target immediately froze upon impact and shattered from his combo kick.
"Hey ugly! Yeah, I was aiming for you!"
Snow looked over his shoulder, his eyes already bulging. There was his sweet little wife, taunting and jumping, attracting a group of cie'th. "SERAAAAAHHH!"
She turned around to run, her legs plunging into the glacial water; against her will, her body immediately threw itself back to shore. Soaked and shivering, the young Farron shakily looked up, squinting through her bangs. A cool voice like the wind whispered through her ears. Get up and run when the time is right.
There was suddenly a huge splash and for a couple seconds, rain joined the steady hail. Obeying her instincts, Serah looked back; a sparkling sea with motionless waves met her sight. Right! She scrambled to her feet, lunging herself onto the frozen water, her feet instantly sliding out from under her. Her hip crashed soundly against the ice and her face broke into a painful grimace. Whimpering, she grabbed the frozen ripples and dragged herself forward. Come on, don't be such a baby. All you did was fall…really hard on ice. She glanced back, paling at the trail of blood she was leaving behind.
His stomach twisted into a knot; he was in a quandary. He had no idea how Light was faring and the cie'th were starting to cluster around the entrance into the foothill. Serah, on the other hand, was stranded on the water—Leviathan had burrowed under the ice, cutting her off from the shore and cie'th off from her. And there was Hope too. Has she found him yet? Are they together? He had to believe in her perseverance. "I'M COMING SERAH!"
Lungs burning for oxygen, she strived to push herself faster and jump further.
Kirill gasped, wildly clutching at clumps of earth and stone, his progress working against him at times. He had been towing her along until they had reached the dilapidated steps; she easily overtook him there, agilely jumping before her weight could dislodge the very ground she was standing on.
A cry of exhaustion burst from her lips as she grappled her way onto the platform. Refusing to catch her breath, Lightning forced herself back up, her eyes already used to the weak light. She touched the slightly damp wall and listened for Kirill. I don't have time to waste, but… They hadn't been solely running to catch Hope's dwindling life. A surge of gray-skinned mutant cie'th had been released. The fact that they were blind didn't matter. They were fast.
A horrid wail cried nearby, sending chills down the soldier's spine. Though they were vastly different from the cie'th she and the others had fought before, one thing was common; their wail had the ability to disable the body and paralyze the mind. Kirill's shout was instant.
"Go on without me! I-I'll t-try and stall them! Go LEFT—he's at the end of the corridor, then you have to come back and go RIGHT, I d-don't know how far, but there's an escape route, when you get to the three tunnels, take the LEFT one…" There was a grunt as he continued to hang on. "Whatever happens—don't let these monsters get the kid…if he gets in their range, they can access his magic a-and he…couldn't handle that. I-I'm sorry, please, I wish you the best and hope you two make it out. Get squ-Hope to forgive me, yeah? Shit, they're coming—RUN!"
Sweet Leah, sweet Aiden, I know I promised to live for the three of us, but Leah, I know with the certainty of my soul you wouldn't want to put another woman what you went through and Aiden, young squirt, tears threatened your eyes whenever you had to witness unfairness—I hope my wrongs can be corrected with this one last act of selflessness. He let go. Daddy'll be home soon.
Lightning closed her eyes and looked away, her hand leaving the wall. She wanted to say something, anything to let him know he wasn't alone. "Thank you," was the only thing she managed to say under her breath. But she meant it. Without another look back, she took off down the hall, blocking out the man's gurgled screams when they came.
The flamed torches flickered warningly as she ran past them. Anticipation grew heavily as she neared the end; she could already see the bronze door. Her heart beat loudly in her ears, her hands shaking with apprehension, she whipped out her gunblade and in one smooth electrifying motion, she jammed the blade into the keyhole, sending sparks everywhere. Natural light blinded her as the door swung open.
HOPE! Her brain knew who she was staring at before her eyes even registered the brutal sight. The first thought that went through her head was that she was too late. In an instant she was in the middle of the cell, kneeling down at his side. Unconsciously weeping, her hands hovered above him, afraid to touch him when she wanted to do nothing more than just crush him against her. Was this really the Hope she'd sworn to take care of and protect? The young boy who lay, lifeless, beaten and mutilated in front of her? His face deathly pale and shallow, a dark reddish purple bruise beneath his right eye, his bottom lip split… Her eyes traveled down his neck, her heart constricting at the festering, nasty gash on his neck, the discoloration had spread, claiming the tender skin of his throat. Guilt continued to ravish her as she picked up his arm, spotting the multiple injection sites—she gagged as she caught sight of his wrists. "Hope," she cried weakly. Feeling strangely faint, her arms slid beneath him, gently cradling his motionless body. Her hand rose up to clutch his cheek and she pressed her lips softly against his, rapid tears sliding down her face. I'm so sorry…I thought I could take care of someone else besides me, that I could have someone depend on me… But I was so wrong. So unmistakably wrong. Look what my carelessness has done to you.
It was such a soft touch, comforting and most of all, familiar. Her azure eyes were ineffable as he stared into them. Overwhelmed by security and gentle reassurance, only his own tears could roll down as her grip around him suddenly intensified. Lightning… All he could comprehend was the sensation that tingled along his skin; her body was cold, refreshing, cooling his feverish shivers, but her lips were hot against him, creating warmth within him, awakening the drowsiness, making him want to fall asleep in the protection of her arms and in a way, never wake up again. Never wake up again with the last sensation of Light against him. To leave, shrouded in her love…
His eyes slowly closed, his head nestling into the crook of her neck and she almost felt suffocated by the onrush of maternal love that coursed through every fiber of her being. The feeling completely foreign to her, she let it out in every little way possible, stroking through his matted hair, pressing little kisses to his forehead and cheek.
Alarming wails pierced through the air and Lightning immediately froze, her eyes trained on the closed door. She forced herself to remain calm. "Stay strong for me Hope," she murmured. "They're probably having trouble getting up here. More time for us, right?" I'll find a way out for us. Her determination renewed, she tried to think of a strategic way of transporting him. She didn't relish the idea of carrying Hope on her back; it would make him too easy of a target, but if she carried him bridal-style, it would leave her practically defenseless, plus her movement and speed would be severely handicapped. Think Farron, think!
"Hang in there Hope, I'm not going far." Gingerly, she set him back down, tenderly pushing back his bangs. She ran back to the door, cranking the handle to open it a crack. The hall was eerily quiet, save for the barely audible muffled sounds of the fight that was taking place outside. The flickering flames cast tiny nerve-wracking shadows on the walls. She bit her lip, debating whether she could trust the emptiness of the halls. She glanced back at Hope and closed her eyes. Odin…can you get in here? Can you find me? Her strength was suddenly drained from her, she barely had enough time to catch herself on the rough doorframe.
Forgive me, I must draw upon your will if you wish me to stay. Give me time, I shall come to your aide. Wait not for me, no direct harm shall threaten you. Hurry. Time escapes us. Judgment favors none.
Judgment favors none? That's too ominous for my liking. Lightning opened the little pouch attached to her thigh and scooped out the dazed and confused chocobo. "You've been here before—it's up to you to find Sazh." She rubbed its little wings. "I know you're worn out, but we all are." She flung it up; the yellow bird plummeted a bit before gaining flight. It peeped and fluttered away while Light watched, fearfully hoping that the little bird wouldn't suddenly get snatched from the air. The chocobo passed the tunnel leading down to the collapsed stairs without anything gray swiping at it.
Slightly satisfied, the soldier pulled out her survival knife and bit down on the handle, kneeling down to take Hope into her arms. Edging out the door, her eyes jerked to every slight movement, which meant she was often glaring at the flames and at the occasional spark the atmosphere gave. Her ears picked up every minute noise, every unidentifiable sound causing her to tense up even more. Her gunblade was slightly pushed out, ready to fire bullets. Her heartbeat quickened as she approached the dark tunnel, her arms straining to hold Hope steady. Why does it feel like I'll have a heart attack if anything jumps out at me?
Now on the other side of the tunnel, fatigue was making itself known. And Lightning didn't know if it was just because she was tired, but it was getting harder to breathe. She pressed on, breathing harshly through her mouth, checking on Hope every so often; he looked and felt dead.
Time seemed to stretch on as so did the man-made corridor. Her footsteps were sluggish, her legs quivering with every forward movement; her arms burned with the weight they were carrying. She let the knife drop from her mouth onto Hope's chest and her whole body seemed to want to collapse with it. "Maybe…a little break wouldn't be so bad…" She slumped against the wall, closing her eyes, resting her cheek against the top of the young boy's head.
It was just so quiet, the air was chilly and damp, but sweat coated the soldier's skin. Just a little rest…just a few minutes…to catch my breath… But Lightning never seemed to catch it, her lungs could never pull enough oxygen. Distress signals were ringing, but they were foggy in her lightheadedness. "Hope," she murmured, her eyes fluttering open and struggling to stay open. "Can you…can you breath?" She waited ever so patiently for a reply, but when seconds ticked into minutes, she raised her head questioningly. "Hope?"
Frowning, she forced herself to sit up. "Hey," she rasped. Her vision blanked out before returning with swirling dots. Light you're…you're losing it. She gently patted his cheek. Look at you…you're endangering him. Can't even take care of yourself. She felt something prickle the back of her eyes. "Shut up," she scolded quietly, tilting Hope's head back, being careful not to aggravate the wound on his neck. No wonder Serah turned to someone else—you couldn't give her anything. You couldn't accept anything. "I tried—" Bullshit Farron, you shut yourself off, turned into a cold-hearted machine. "I'm trying…" She placed her mouth over his. Ha, what happened to just doing it? "Shut up!" she cried. "I'll do it!" Do what? "I…I don't know." Well it's about time you figured it out, Claire.
She pushed back the flash flood of dread as her attention was attracted down the hall. "I'm only human," she whispered. It's more convincing when you act like one—those tears were a start. She looked down at Hope, feeling for his pulse before drawing out her gunblade. Her balance was unsteady, but the imminent danger helped focus her. She refused to let fear immobilize her as the wall-scaling cie'th came into view.
"Oxygen-deprived or not, I'm still ready to kick your ass," she gritted. And there's no place to hide Hope. Odin?
You are weakened, I cannot take your remaining strength from you. Protect yourself. I am but a lightning's strike away.
A sixth sense commanding her, Lightning dropped to her knees, lifting Hope up and pulling him over her lap, covering him with her torso. The quake came within a matter of seconds.
"EVACUATE! MOVE IT, MOVE IT!" Soldiers were tripping over themselves, slipping and sliding down the bank, others taking the initiative of jumping off the bluff.
"Shit sir, everything's liquefying—"
"We can't leave!" Serah protested as someone tried to drag her away toward the black aircrafts. "My sister's still in there! And so is Hope! He's the reason we CAME here! Let go of me!" Her cries were pitiful as were her fists she tried to beat him with. The arm around her waist suddenly slacked.
"Hands off my wife," Snow growled. Serah clutched his arm and stared at the hunched man.
"You forgot to ask nicely first," she pointed out.
"My bad," he said menacingly.
Serah took in his haggard look and looked at the sea. "Leviathan!" she called. "Take us up the bluff!"
Let's wrap this up—Sis needs our help. "Shiva, you gotta hitch a ride, c'mon."
"As long as your strength permits us to."
"For our time is up."
The great silver eidolon disregarded the quaking waves of bones and earth, creating its own waves to ride up the sea cliff.
"Is that Sazh?"
"I'll be damned, did he just jump down that hole?"
Leviathan reared up. Serah, if I must stay longer, the peril of our extinction grows greater, for none can survive the Hour that draws nearer. Judgment favors none. The Goddess trusts that We guide.
Wide-eyed, Serah stared up at her eidolon—she still wasn't used to the communication. Nor did much of what it said make sense to her. "Just for a little longer? Please?"
The whining sound of rotors starting cut through the noise of the chaos. What? They're leaving? Bunch a pussies! Snow shook his head in disbelief. "C'mon, let's see if we can help Sazh out."
With Leviathan's tail serving as a railing, Serah peeked over the edge of the bluff, her skin numb against the cold, sharp wind that sliced through her coat. She blinked at the obvious. "Hey Snow, all the cie'th are gone…"
"They probably got swallowed up." He sounded distracted.
"All of them? I don't think so…"
"Hey, check this out, something's bubbling under the ground here."
"We don't think you should step there."
"Snow, I really don't—"
"AHHHHHHHHHH!"
By the time she had whipped around, all she saw was a huge gaping hole. Serah let out a blood-curdling scream.
Eek, so how'd I do? Were the eidolons believable? I know Leviathan doesn't cast magic, but I thought he should... And I imgaine him being the younger eidolon xD So two more chapters to go-it should really be more, but I'm just gonna make them long. Wonder where Mika went... Yay, Light gets to ride Odin in the next chapter...Hope does too, but that doesn't sound as...well, it just kinda sounds weird... Aw sometimes, I wish I could show you what's coming next-but I can't promise when the next the chap is coming up. Leave a review? *kitty eyes*
